Page 21 of The Sky Between Us

Her eyes narrowed at me, debating my words, before she moved her hands off Aiden. “I got him once already, you can have him tonight. But you owe me one.”

“I don’t owe you,” I laughed coldly. “You need me, so technically you are doing yourself a favor.”

“Whatever, enjoy,” she muttered and swinging her long ponytail, left the kitchen.

Aiden crossed his arms in front of his chest, his blue eyes bore holes into me. “And you want me alone, because…”

“I think I owe you an apology,” I said the words I never thought I would say out loud. “I was being hot and cold to you when I should have been straight.”

He arched his brow and motioned for me to go on.

Taking a deep breath, I felt my heart race as the most painful words left my mouth. “I don’t want to date, nor to hookup. I’m not looking for any of these things, but we can… stay friends. If you want to.”

Aiden stared at me, like I'd kicked a kitten. Deep creases formed on his forehead and his brows pinched, morphing his usually pretty face into something ugly. “You are lying.”

Shaking my head, I stepped closer to him. “Listen… you and I will never happen.”

“I believe in never say never,” he muttered and closed the distance between us. His chest felt firm right in front of me, and as I took a deeper breath, we were completely pressed up against each other. Millions of butterflies fluttered in my stomach. The breath I was taking got stuck in my lungs, and I looked up at him in complete awe.

What was he doing to me?

Aiden lifted his hand and ran his cold fingers through my hair, making me shiver. His hand rested at my neck and his thumb drew small circles on my cheeks, heating them.

“Don’t tell me you don’t feel what I feel. We have chemistry,” he whispered, his breath hitting my lips, reminding me how it felt to kiss him.

“I’m not denying it. I’m just saying it can’t happen. I’m the coach’s daughter. You know it would be stupid to…”

“Stop making excuses,” he muttered, moving his free hand to my shoulder and once realizing my dress had an open back his fingers slowly started creeping down. His touch was driving me insane. My eyes closed and my body shook. I wanted him to kiss me again, but more passionately than before. I wanted his mouth to devour me. I wanted him to want me the way I wanted him. It felt like my body had finally woken up from a five-year sleep and all the emotions and feelings hit me at the same time. I was needy. Needy for his touch only.

“I…” I stuttered, unsure what to say. Could I agree to this and let him take me up to his room and make me forget about everything?

“I can’t. We can’t do this.”

Aiden’s hands fell from my body and he looked at me like I'd slapped him. “Give me one good reason why we can’t. And you, being the coach’s daughter, doesn't count.”

I blinked, my mind empty and I shook my head. I knew many reasons why we couldn’t do it, endless reasons, but none I could say out loud.

“That’s what I thought.” He snorted and shook his head. “No, Hazel, we can’t be friends either.”

“Come on,” I found my voice, as he stepped aside to walk away. “Don’t be so…”

“So, what?” he challenged me. “I just asked you to give me a reason and you couldn’t. So, I’m assuming you are lying. And friends don’t lie! Even you should know that if you watched Stranger Things, because I’m sure as hell you never actually had real friends,” he spat the words.

I bit into my lower lip, restraining myself from speaking up. There was nothing I could say to make him realize I was just looking out for him. He didn’t need the baggage coming with me.

“You act like you have the entire world figured out, like you are better than everyone else. You don’t drink, you don’t party, you don’t even exist! It was stupid of me to even try and get involved with you, because it’s clear you only care about yourself. So, no Hazel, you don’t get to have your cake and eat it too. Because there’s two of us in this.”

“Like you ever wanted anything serious. You are just mad you won’t get into my pants, but I’m sure anyone is happy to assist you with getting laid. Anyone but me!”

Aiden chuckled and stepping back in front of me he looked deep in my eyes. His blue eyes held sadness that made my heart ache. “If I wanted to get into your pants, I would have told you that from day one, because I’m like that. I’m straight up with what I want.”

“You said you wanted to be my friend,” I muttered stupidly, tears burning behind my eyes.

Aiden let out a long breath and shook his head. “That was before.”

“Before what?” I whispered, my heart beating out of control.

“Before I saw the real you.”

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